1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatus, an ultrasonic treatment device, an ultrasonic cleaning device and an underwater acoustic sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
The ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatus is known from Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication Nos. 5-95957, 2003-112118, 2003-112120 and 10-429.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-95957 discloses an ultrasonic therapeutic device as an ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1 of this publication, an ultrasonic vibrating element 2 is arranged on the backside of a horn 6 in a casing 10 of a hand piece 1 of the ultrasonic therapeutic device. Further, a back plate 8 for resonance balance is arranged on the backside of the ultrasonic vibrating element 2. A bolt 11 is extended through the ultrasonic vibrating element 2 and the back plate 8 from the horn 6, and a nut 12 is screwed on the extending end portion of the bolt 11. By fastening the nut 12, the horn 6, the ultrasonic vibrating element 2 and the back plate 8 are unified with each other.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-112118 discloses a Langevin type ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatus. As shown in FIG. 4 of this publication, in this ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatus, piezoelectric elements 21, 22 are arranged between a horn 3 and a back mass 1, and a bolt 4 is passed through the piezoelectric elements 21, 22 from the back mass 1, and its forward end is screwed in the horn 3. By tightening the bolt 4, the horn 3, the piezoelectric elements 21, 22 and the back mass 1 are unified with each other.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-112120 discloses a Langevin type ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatus. As shown in FIG. 3 of this publication, in an electric signal-mechanical vibration conversion unit 2 of the ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatus, piezoelectric elements 21, 22 are arranged between a horn 3 and a back mass 1. And, the horn 3 and the back mass 1 are screwed on the both end portions of a bolt 4 passed through the piezoelectric elements 21, 22. By rotating the back mass 1 and the horn 3 relatively to each other on the both end portions of the bolt 4 to approach the back mass 1 and the horn 3 each other, the horn 3, the piezoelectric elements 21, 22 and the back mass 1 are unified with each other.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-429 discloses a Langevin type ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2 of this publication, in the ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatus, a front mass 3a, piezoelectric ceramics 1a, 1b and a back mass 3b are arranged in this order on the backside of a horn 6. A bolt 4 is passed through the front mass 3a, the piezoelectric ceramics 1a, 1b and the back mass 3b. One end portion of this bolt 4 is screwed in the horn 6, and a nut 8 is screwed on the other end portion of the bolt 4. By tightening the nut 8, the horn 6, the front mass 3a, the piezoelectric ceramics 1a, 1b and the back mass 3b are unified with each other.
Each of these conventional ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatuses must have a high dimensional accuracy to transmit ultrasonic wave efficiently, and often requires a high anticorrosiveness. Therefore, these ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatuses are manufactured by machining metal materials such as titanium, titanium alloy, aluminum alloy and nickel-aluminum alloy.
The machine work to these metal materials with a high dimensional accuracy increases a time and cost for manufacturing the conventional ultrasonic wave vibrating apparatuses. Also, a plurality of parts formed of metal materials and assembled with each other tends to loose its combination or separate from each other under the ultrasonic vibrations imposed thereon for a long period of time. This trend increases with a higher ambient temperature.
Recently, a metallic glass has been focused on as a material superior in anticorrosiveness, strength, modulus of elasticity, formability and shape transferability as compared with the metal materials. For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-202372, discloses to connect two or more members integrally with each other by using the metallic glass. Also, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-343205 discloses to transform the metallic glass into a cylindrical shape in its supercooled liquid zone. Further, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-323174 discloses to connect two or more members integrally with each other by using the metallic glass.